Giving Q&A

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

• WHY IS AOA AN ‘INDEPENDENT’ SCHOOL?

  AOA is a nonprofit organization that operates without financial support from local or federal taxes.  It relies on tuition income, Andrews Osborne Academy Fund income, and endowment income to exist.

• WHAT DOES MY TUITION PAY FOR?

  Tuition is a large component of the school’s ‘hard income’ which covers the basic costs of providing an education for AOA students.  Hard income pays for salaries and benefits, desks and chairs, utilities, insurance, campus and building maintenance, and supplies (from paper clips and copier paper to mulch and vehicle tires).  Allocating hard income to cover these costs is financially responsible and helps ensure that Andrews Osborne Academy will be here for your grandchildren and beyond.

• WHAT IS THE ANDREWS OSBORNE ACADEMY FUND?

  The Andrews Osborne Academy Fund is the school's philanthropic priority and the single most important way you can invest in the school.  The success of the Andrews Osborne Academy Fund is vital to the fiscal health of the School.  It is for gifts above and beyond tuition, a tax-deductible opportunity to invest in AOA.  It is an annual program that starts on July 1 and ends on June 30 (not the calendar year!).  The money raised in the Andrews Osborne Academy Fund not only supports hard income expenses such as library book selection, athletic equipment, campus technology improvements, and art supplies, it also provides funding for faculty development, curricular development, and improvement projects around campus.

• HOW MUCH AM I EXPECTED TO GIVE?

  It is our hope that you will participate to the best of your financial ability.  Beyond the direct financial impact your gift has, your participation is also increasingly important.  When AOA approaches other funding sources, such as foundations, it is helpful for us to report high participation across the board from all of our constituencies in the Annual Fund.  Your participation serves as a stamp of approval and it carries great significance when funders are considering supporting the school.

• WHAT IS THE PHOENIX SOCIETY?

  Members of the Phoenix Society are those who make a gift to the Andrews Osborne Academy Fund at the leadership level of $1,000 or more.  Members of the Phoenix Society will enjoy special benefits including a 15% discount in the Campus Shop, special invitations to events on campus, and an invitation to our annual Head's Dinner in the spring.

• WHO GIVES TO THE ANDREWS OSBORNE ACADEMY FUND?

  Everyone involved with the school.  Board members, faculty, parents, alumni, grandparents, former faculty & staff, parents of alumni, volunteers, corporations & businesses, as well as other friends of AOA are all asked to invest in the Andrews Osborne Academy Fund.